Data were analyzed using content analysis. This technique was employed to analyze data collected during the face-to-face interviews and documents review.Furthermore, a SWOT analysis was used to find out factors that may promote of hinder the CBT in the Nyamasheke District. If you try to compare the cost of coffee production and benefits the farmers get in this district, famers are not getting their return on investment made in their activities. Both farmers who participated to this study indicated that coffee farming is really not profitable. When they were asked about the cause of the loss in coffee business, respondents were divided in their views regarding the perceived causes. Two respondents revealed that the cost of production make the coffee business less profitable.
“In fact, mobile vertical farm when I look at the work a coffee farmer does in coffee production, and look at what he gets in return, in reality the money a farmer earns is not repaying the farmer’s investment within production period” . Two respondents disagreed with the previous respondents regarding the cause of the loss incurred by farmers. In their views, the profitability in coffee business depends on the efforts the farmer put in his/her activities. If the famer is motivated and invest enough time and money in his/her farm, the yield would be good. “The income is not good enough, but it depends on how well the coffee is taken care of. The well cared for coffee, produces a satisfactory yield” .Another factor which makes coffee business unprofitable is unstable price of coffee cherries. According to our respondents, the price goes higher or low and farmers has no influence over it. Sometimes the price is one hundred and ten,and sometimes the price is two hundred or more.
When it rises to about three hundred and fifty, where the farmer can take care of the coffee and make a profit.“You see there is a time when at least they give us about three hundred francs per kilo, plus ten to be able to deliver it to the factory. That time the farmer was able to earn a living wage, and then he was able to make a living” . Respondents were asked to indicate another business that could be introduced in the area to support people involved in the coffee business. Surprisingly,among all suggestions given by our respondents, none of them was related to tourism. However,vertical farming racks past researchers have revealed the role of agri-tourism entrepreneurship development in agriculture sector. Khanal & Shrestha asserted that agri-tourism is one of the most crucial parameters to improve the nation’s economy of a country like Nepal, where major occupation was farming and having lots of potential tourist destination hubs. Rural areas where agri-tourismis exercised became the places where all elements of local sustainable development collected. Agri-tourism authorized new businesses and jobs on the local level. It also acted on the policy making system of the locality; forcing it indirectly to find sources of financing for achieving objectives.
It also expanded the farmer’s income . Coffee Washing Station managers were asked to indicate the possible benefits of a coffee-based tourism, where someone would come and be introduced to coffee farming, be explained the process from coffee planting to coffee harvest, then be shown how coffee is processed and he pay for it, as it is done in other countries.All agreed that the CBT has the potential to contribute positively to their business and indicated their expectation. Some of benefits identified are the following:“motivating coffee farmers to improve their activities, to improve the coffee farmers’ livelihood, and boosting coffee industry”.Respondents indicated that if CBT is introduced in their area will be welcomed.They expect that it will motivation to coffee farmers to improve their activities, as its benefits will be extended to everybody in the coffee industry.Furthermore, the start-up of coffee-based tourism would help to take care of the coffee trees, since those who would be visited would be paid, and it would inspire others who have not been visited to improving the standards of their coffee threes.On our side as a coffee washing stations, it would be interesting for us, because money farmers will get from tourism activities would motivate them to take care of their coffee.